Why we owe ‘Dunner’ a debt of gratitude

DEVELOPERS have had a raw deal. Anybody who built something big during the bubble has been cast as reckless and greedy. It’s not a fair portrayal: many of them got caught up in the madness, carried on a wave that promised to deliver eternal prosperity.

But along comes a man like Sean Dunne, and it’s easy to see why developers have such a bad name.

This guy is straight out of central casting for the role of The Developer. On Good Friday, Dunne declared for bankruptcy in the USA. On Easter Sunday, he rose again, gracing the pages of the Sunday Independent with a missive, explaining to the Irish people why they will bear most of his debts, estimated at between €500m and €1b.